Practically everything we do at work is a collaboration. Pre-pandemic, many people spent 85% or more of their time each week in collaborative work — answering emails, instant messaging, in meetings, and using other team collaboration tools and spaces. This number has only grown throughout the pandemic, with no end in sight as we move into various forms of hybrid work.
Where We Go Wrong with Collaboration
How our desires, expectations, and fears about what “showing up” looks like can end up backfiring.
April 04, 2022
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Summary.
Our beliefs about how we feel we need to “show up” for others can lead to extreme collaborative overload and burnout. For example, a desire to help others can lead us to jump into a project or debate without being asked. A need for status can prod us to drive collaborations back to ourselves. And fear can block us from saying “no” to a collaborative request that we know we can’t handle. The first step in reducing collaborative overload is becoming aware internal triggers like these. This article introduces nine common beliefs to reflect on; guarding against them will help you reclaim your time and redirect your efforts to where your contributions can add the most value.